sheer



v Patented Apr. Il, |899. W. B.. SHEER.

HOLDBAGK LOCK.

(Application led Ang. 18, 189B.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

l/VALTER B. SIIEER, OF QUINOY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HEINRYM. SHEER,

. OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,045, dated April 1I, 1899.

Application filed August 18, 1898. Serial No. 688.891. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that LWALTEE B. SIIEER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Holdback-Locks, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to animprovement in holdback-locks, the object being to provide a simple and inexpensive device for the attachment and detachment of holdbacksto the shafts of a vehicle and at the same time provide effective means for preventing -the rattling of parts and to afford a convenient arrangement for the free adjustment of the strap without requiring any eXtra attachments.

With the above in view my invention consists in certain novel features and combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter and pointed outI in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a view in perspective of my improved holdback, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal view.

A represents a base-block 'adapted to besecured on the shafts of a vehicle, and l is a hook, the 'two being made, preferably, in a single casting of malleable iron, white metal, or what not. This casting has around hole 2 in its upper surface just beneath the hook 1. Ball 3 is held yieldingly in this hole from beneath by means of a spring, preferably a stiff plate-spring 4, which bears upwardly upon it, the spring being secured at some convenient point within the block where it is entirely concealed and above all protected from exposure to the weather. The tension of this spring is such that it normally keeps the ball in place in the'hole, the ball sufliciently filling the hole at all times to prevent sleet, ice, or dirt from entering and clogging the spring.

B represents the ring which attaches the holdbaclI-strap 6 to the lock. This ringis elongated to throw the strap back out of the way of the lock, and it also has three cross-bars 7, S, and 9, between and around which the strap is looped, affording means for the free adjustment of the strap without requiring any extra attachments. -When the ring is forced into the hook past the ball, the latter yields until the ring passes it andis then held yieldingly in contact with the ring, so that a perfect `antirattler is formed, the ball always being' free to revolve, so that the resistance it offers is exactly the same no matter from which direction the ring comes in contact with it.

The ball and spring also prevent accidental disengagement. The device might also with slight or no modification be used as a checkrein-hook or as an ordinary snap-hook, its functions being the same in any event-namely,V

to afford an easy means of attachment and detachment, although always to prevent'accidental disengagement, and, further and important, to prevent all rattling of parts.

It is evident that slight changes might be madein the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As an article of manufacture, a holdback-lock consisting of a hook and a yieldingly-sustained ball acting to normally close the hook and spring-pressed in a direction transversely of the hook.

2. As an article of manufacture, a holdback-lock comprising a hook, a spring-actuated ball coperating therewith, and a ring or 

